The Creating a Better Everyday Life for the Many Exhibit, created specifically for IKEA Tempe, features artwork by participants in Free Arts’ Junk Art Professional Artist Series. Working with recycled materials and discarded items from IKEA Tempe, teaching artist Shari Keith, gave each artist the opportunity to explore the artistic potential of non-traditional art materials. This environmentally friendly project demonstrates to all of us the benefits of recycling, reusing, and reducing and that art can be created from many different types of materials. Free Arts of Arizona youth are always excited to learn that they can create using items at hand and not have to purchase expensive art materials. The purpose of Creating a Better Everyday Life for the Many project was to encourage youth to use their imaginations, to explore materials in a way that many had not done before, and to see potential in items that were deemed useless. This project serves as a visual reminder to all of us that junk can truly become treasure.

WHEN: EXHIBIT OPENS SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2010 ~ Admission to the Creating a Better Everyday Life for the Many Exhibit is free. Artist Shari Keith and the youth who created the art pieces will be available to answer questions about their creations in the IKEA Restaurant from Noon to 1pm that day.

WHERE: IKEA Tempe’s Restaurant
2110 W. IKEA Way in Tempe (off I-10 and Warner Road)

Since 2004, IKEA Tempe has been an active supporter of Free Arts of Arizona. Sharing the same mission and dedication to improving the lives of the thousands of families and children here in our community, together we are making a difference.